Say cheese.OH NO!

We all had a great time at the ball game the 4th.The fireworks were ausume.Too bad my camera malfunctioned!I forgot to charge the battery(senior moment)so there won't be any fireworks pictures.Today we are just kicking it as we didn't get home til after midnight.

Jeni and I were talking today about how we miss volunteering.That has been our main source of enjoyment and fullfilment these last 3 years.We started out in the summer of 05 camphosting at Beals Point at Folsom lake State Park.We volunteered there for 3 summers and enjoyed every minute of it.Then in the winter of 07-08 we volunteered at Lake Silverwood State Park in the San Bernanadino mountains.What a great place.Great fishing and lots of wildlife.The summer of 08 found us in Indian Grinding Rock State park.It was a small park but one of the most beautiful parks we have volunteered at.In the winter of 08 and 09 we volunteered at Agua Caliente County Park a San Diego county Park.It is in the Anza Borrego desert.A remote park with hot spring mineral pools.this was our best volunteering job so far and some of the nicest people we have worked for.We both feel we have lots more adventures ahead helping out our park system.We just need to line up somthing for this winter.

The weather has been hot here but with our big awning and window awnings plus our 2 big air conditioners we stay nice and cool.Our coach is just like a little condo.We have all the comforts of home.A gourmet kitchen with a microwave/convection oven,a double door refrigerator with Ice maker,a pillowtop queen size bed,satellite tv,and lots of storage room to carry the essentials.a self contained bathroom,automatic levelers to keep the coach nice and level and 2 slideouts that give us a little more room inside.And if we don't like our neighbors we start the engine and head down the road.If your going to fulltime you have to do it right.

slow week!

With Jeni still "gimping around,we had a slow week.Mostly housework and little fixes on the rig.Dan came over tuesday and fixed the elec.hookup from the RV to the car.I kinda smashed it last summer when I backed in to our "camphost" site at Indian Grinding Rock St.Park.There was a little hill at the back of the site and I backed up a little too far!

Yesterday we went grocery shopping{were Dorans we got to eat).Then we went over to Dans house as him and Aiden invited us over to dinner.Oh,did I tell you,Dan got a dog!Her name is Gigi.She is an older black lab.She looks like Penny a dog we had back in Sacramento.Dan wanted an older dog because he works during the day and Gigi does fine by herself.I'm sure if Dan hadn't taken her,the shelter probably would of put her down.He probably saved her life.

For dinner last night Dan and Aiden took us to one of those pizza/arcade places called "Johns amasing pizza factory".They had a buffet of pizza, pastas and a salad bar.Also Jeni's favorite,The dessert bar!The food wasn't half bad.Aiden had a great time as Dan and him played arcade games together.I played a couple of "shoot the enemy"games with him.It was fun!

If you noticed,Dan isn't in any of the pictures.He hates his picture taken.I'll get him though,he can't escape the cameras EYE!

We are all going out to dinner and to the minor league baseball game tonight.Jeni,I,Gary&Martha,Dan&Aiden,and Dans friend Mark and his girls are all going.They will be having a big 4th of July fireworks display ,and of course "Hotdogs!"

As I was saying earlier,Jeni and I were doing housework and fix up's on the rig.The fixes on the rig can become very expensive if you don't do them yourselves.Case in point,earlier this week a detail guy came into the RV park and washed 4 or 5 rigs.I was talking with him and he charges 2 bucks a foot.For my rig that would be $72!Have that done 5 or 6 times a year and thats $350-$400 a year.We do it ourselves.We do what were able to do to maintain the rig.The more you save,the more "dinners out"you can have!

It was nice to hear from our Daughters Jackie and Katie this week.Katie and I talked for an hour catching up on things.While I was talking with Jackie,DJ our grandson was playing by her and I could hear him.Jackie always tries to get him to talk to us on the phone but his responce,"NO!) Ah,Grand kids,you gotta love em!

Happy 4th of July!

The lost weekend

It was a very quiet weekend for us as Jeni was homebound from her knee surgery.I went out a couple of times for supplies but basically it was a TV weekend.I got to watch a lot of baseball as Jeni did a lot of napping.By Sunday she was almost her "ole" self
except for the crutches. The "chief bottlewasher"was hoping
for a demotion but no such luck!Oh no!Jeni's ringing the bell again!

Sunday Dan brought his son Nevin over to the RV to visit.We probably talked their ears off as their the only people we had seen in 2-1/2 days.We watched"the Monk marathon"on USA network all day.We love the" Kookie" detective.

and his cohorts.as they solve the case.Another favorite of mine is Frazier with Kelsy Grammer.It ran for 11 years.another great cast.

It was a sad week for celebrities as Farrah Fawcett,Ed Mac man,Micheal Jackson,and celebrity"pitch man"Billy Mays passed away.I can't remember that many famous people passing away in such a short time span.
This morning I took Jeni to the DR.to see how her knee is doing.The DR. gave her the"thumbs up"She will still have to use the crutches for a few more days but we can finally get out and around.She will also take some physical therapy in a couple of weeks.After the DR. we went out to Dennys for breakfast.It's nice to be out among people again!
While I was getting a prescription filled for Jeni Last Friday,I was asked for an address by the pharmicist.I explained to her that we were fulltime RVers and our address wasn't exactly where we are now.She was puzzled."How do you live like that"?.I explained that we choose to live this life.I told her of the places we have been,places we have volunteered at,and the wonderful people we have met and volunteered with.Every morning we wake up and out our bedroom window may be the ocean,or the forest with a herd of deer ,or the desert with all its beauty,it could be the everglades,the rocky mountains,or a beautiful lake.In times of family needs we just get in our home and drive it where were needed.After thinking for a minute,the pharmicist said"thats a great way to travel and see the country."Does it cost alot", she said. I told her people of all income levels" fulltime"It's just depends on how you want to do it.Shes(the pharmacist)very young but when she gets older it might appeal to her.Yes we choose to live the RV life but it is because we can ,not because we have to.We do this while were young and able enouigh.We will know when it is time to "hang up the keys"and when that time arrives,we will have our memories of our RV life.

what comes around comes around!

Jeni's knee surgery went well and the Dr. said she would be her" fiesty ole"self in a few days.So until then I'm chief"bottle washer"around here!For 39 plus years Jen has tended the helm of our family and did it well.But now I'm in charge!I hope I don't sink it !!
Well it's pretty much official,we are staying the summer in So. Cal.We won't be heading north to Oregon or Washington.Maybe next year.Too much to be done here.It's a plus for us as wherever were needed we just drive our house on wheels to,set up the "dish" and were home.
We found out that we are now #45 on the list at our homebase park,Park Sierra.we have moved up pretty quick so we may be in this comming winter.Park Sierra is a member park for the"Escapees"RV club we belong to.You buy in for a lot with full hookups and when you decide you want to leave you get your origional buy in back.It will give us a homebase thats half way between our families in Sacramento and So. Cal.The best thing is it's a volunteer park,everybody pitches in to run the park.It gives everyone a sense of a close knit community where everyone knows everyone.We can't wait!
I got a call from both my brothers today which hasn't happened in a while.It was great talking with them.Instead of talking about the drama going on lately,we talked about fun things. it was great.I am blessed to have such wonderful BRO's.
Well Jeni is ringing the bell so I better get movin and see what she needs".Chief bottlewasher",What comes around comes around!

Keeping up with the Jones

With a little overcast yesterday morning,I decided it was time to wash the rig(RV).Now it's been a while since I last did this chore and there is an unwritten code among the RV community that if you are parked next to someone,your rig better look as nice or nicer than theirs.In the park we are in right now there are a lot of newer and more expensive rigs next to ours so that was my motivation "keeping up with the Jones"!
first I get out my bucket,hose,nozzle and car wash soap.Then I survey my objective,how to wash my rig and not get water on my neighbors rig seeing they are parked so close to us on either side they can hear our clock tick! This means "close combat washing" meaning water hose on low flow,brush on long pole(no room for ladder),double brushing as low water flow won't rinse well,and double the washing time,an hour and a half job now a three hour job.But the hardest part of all ,the most time consuming, is fielding comments from your neighbors."Can you wash my rig next." "you know it is going to rain now." "you missed a spot." and the worst is the RVer who brings a lawn chair over so he can sit and critique your washing techniques.
Finally,the chore is done and I'm still in good standings with the neighbors.
In the afternoon,we headed to "campworld" for rv supplies.I love this place as I can browse the isles for hours looking at the gadgets,and things to make our rig look new and expensive et.("keeping up with the Jones!").
It was sad to hear the news this morning that one of my favorite actresses Farrah Fawcett passed away.She was a "class lady".It makes us wonder,it"s not how long your here,it's what you do while your here that makes a life fullfilled.
We are going over to Dans today to do laundry,and get things in order as Jeni's knee surgery is Friday morning.It's a minor "clean out"like the athletes get nothing major.
Jeni and I are official "NCIS junkies".The popular military crime show on CBS and USA networks.They are running NCIS marathons this week,so we have been glued to the TV yesterday and today.I love Mark Harmon as "Gibbs" a part he seems suited to.He has come a long way since his "bit part" days where he played the "airhead"surfer dude characters of the 70S.One good thing,when we go to Dans today,he has "Direct TV" so we won't miss the marathon.
We have a nice sunny day today.Seems like we should be outside walking the RV park,sprucing up our RV pad or housecleaning, but today we won't be" keeping up with the Jones",we will be "kicking back"and "munching"that is what us Dorans do best!

Fathers Day!

Sometimes in all the celebrations of life,we forget the ones close to us.For example,saturday and sunday Jen,I,my brother Gary,Martha,Dan and our grandson Aiden were at Dans house celebrating the June birthdays and Fathers day.Saturday night we all went to a ball game,and Sunday we were at Dans.My daughters called to wish me happy fathers day. one call I received was from my Grandaughter in Sacremento.she has no father,He ran out on her and my daughter a long time ago.She was home alone and being 14 yrs.old and very emotional,she felt she had no man in her life for this special day.It just "broke my heart"! I reminded her that she has many Fathers in her life.Uncles,Dan,Gary,Dustin,Larry,and me.We are all fathers in one way or the other to her and were there for her.I won't forget her next year.

Jeni and I have a busy week as we have things to do for our son and Jeni has a Dr.appt tomarrow and knee surgery on Friday.

I put a couple of pictures up of us at the ball game and Dan and son Aiden enjoying fathers day.

Road Trip!

Yesterday was Jeni's birthday so we loaded up the Grand Vitara and headed west and north.We took the I-10 west to Santa Monica,then jumped on hwy.1(the PCH) and headed north.The traffic was light except in downtown LA.On hwy.1 we checked out some of the state parks and beaches.Mcgrath state beach,just south of Ventura has 173 campsites and can accomadate big rigs.you are just a short walk to the beach,and there are many hiking trails.No hookups are available but there is a dumpstation.Another great beach and campground we found was Broomhill state beach.the campsites are close to the ocean and the views are great. Again,no hookups.

We ended up in Ventura at the "Channel Islands National Park visiter center.We were hoping to take a tour over to one of the islands(there are 5 islands) but we got there too late.They did have what they called "an iteractive diving tour"where your in their auditorium watching the park rangers underwater at one of the islands with a live camera.we could actually talk with the divers and ask questions.We saw the biggest lobster we've ever seen as the ranger held him up to the camera for us.Because it's a preserve around the island,the ranger said the sea life is much bigger(no fish zone).The lobster he showed us had to go 10 to 12 lbs.easy!Their main focus of studies at the islands are the kelp forests underwater around the islands.All in all it was very interesting and we plan making it back soon to do a tour of the islands.

Well hunger set in so we found a"subway"(our favorite lunch)and headed in to Ventura harbor , found a free place to park,took our lawn chairs,lunch and sat on the beach enjoying the ocean and the afternoon breeze

As the sun was dropping into the late afternoon fog bank,we decided it was time to head back.We stopped in Malibu for dinner as we had a "hankerin" for some clam chowder.We couldn't pass up a photo op as we left town(see pic.)then we headed home.A quick stop for dessert (mickey D ice cream cone)and home safe.

I think Jeni had a great Birthday!